By Lara Bezich

People are more mobile and transient than ever before. In previous generations, people moved a handful of times over a lifetime. But today in the US, we are one of the most geographically mobile countries in the world, and the average American moves more than eleven times in their lifetime. That's about three times more than the average European. Notably, the moving rate is highest among young people, with the average 30-year-old having already clocked six moves, according to government estimates. 

Moving Is a Fact of Life Today

Moving can herald an exciting new adventure. But it also brings with it financial, logistical, and psychological challenges. A single move costs thousands of dollars. Forbes estimates a long-distance move to cost between $2,200 and $5,700, and a short-distance move to cost $800-$2,150. Even at the lower end, that's a significant amount of money for a young adult in their twenties who will likely be moving many times. 

For those who are not naturally organized, the process of packing, moving, and setting up a new space can be a nightmare. The prospect of leaving behind friends and family and building new relationships from scratch can be exciting or it can be scary. But all people, social butterflies and introverts alike, will experience some level of mental unease during a move, because of the inherent uncertainty and change that moving entails. 

The Choice to Move

Sometimes, moving isn’t a choice. Sometimes, we are forced to move due to circumstances beyond our control: unaffordable costs of living, being reassigned for work, being unable to find suitable employment in the area, rising crime, or other reasons. But usually, moving is a choice. According to population survey data, the most common reason people move is work-related. Even, and especially, when moving isn't your preference, it's important to have the attitude that life is working out for you. "If you trust that generally, life is moving in the right direction, then you will see the move as a blessing, even if it seems like a temporary setback," says professional organizer Kacy Paide.

Whatever the reason, ideally moving is a deliberate choice you make to improve your life—for example, a student moving to campus for college, a single person moving to a city for culture and to expand their social circle, or a family moving to the suburbs to raise kids. 

The Choice to Explore

Even before the sharp increase in remote working that accelerated the trend, it was becoming increasingly popular for young people to explore alternative lifestyles such as vanlife, long-term travel outside the country as a digital nomad, living in communities on farms (example: Wwoofing), and/or living in tiny homes that can be moved from one plot of land to another. Aside from adventure, for many people the draw of these lifestyles is their lower costs and simplicity. They are also stepping stones to ease transitions, save money, and have fun before making serious commitments and settling down. They are a way to learn, gain life experience, and see new places.

The Invention of Better Boxes

It was through my personal experiences with moving that I felt inspired to create a better way to move. In college I acquired some antique wooden milk crates that I used in my dorm room as furniture and also for moving. Their functionality was just what I needed as a college student going back and forth to my college and my parent’s home during the summers. The problem was, they were heavy and inconsistently sized. I wanted them to be lighter, more modern looking, and a particular size. After graduating with a degree in Interior Design, I set about finding a new way to make the classic dorm room crate.

I began researching materials, attending various expos and conferences, and making prototypes. I learned about manufacturing and toured manufacturing plants in five states. After many months, years actually, I had a "Eureka!" moment and the solution to my moving dilemma became clear. I filed for a utility patent, and a few years after that, it was granted. The invention? A new kind of cardboard box, uniquely folded around a strong and sturdy core of paper honeycomb panels. This new kind of box does double duty as a moving box and also as furniture, because it can be stacked side wall to side wall into desks, bookcases, beds, night stands, and more. 

Navigating Change with Better Boxes

With Better Boxes, young adults can tackle the challenge of moving with confidence. The costs will be lower, the logistics will be easier, and the physical burden will be lighter. Better Boxes free us to move quickly and pursue opportunities in our careers, love lives, and lifestyles. They enable smooth transitions through typically difficult and uncertain times. They provide basic structure, organization, and functionality to our spaces so we can clearly focus on the opportunities, work, and everyday continuity of our lives, leaving behind the stressful upheaval and chaos of a typical move. With Better Boxes we can easily assemble an orderly and productive environment and get back to our life and our goals, while functioning at our best. In a way they can accelerate the process of “finding ourselves” and help us to be more targeted and strategic about where and when we settle down.

As young people we can’t know for sure in advance if moving will improve our life, or if exploring an alternative lifestyle or locale will provide the adventure and satisfaction we seek, but for many of us, it’s a risk we feel compelled to take. It’s a journey that calls us. It’s a path that we choose. Better Boxes are perfect for modern day nomads and adventurers. 

But, they’re equally amazing for those who want to put down roots and make a home for the long term. Who says stability can’t also be flexible, adaptable, and mobile—without sacrificing aesthetics? In today’s world, rigidity is more precarious and insecure. You can be “established” and still nimble. Better Boxes enable different ways of living and working from home, in communities, and in small businesses. More and more, we are reimagining the way we work and why we work. We are reprioritizing, recalibrating, and envisioning what we want our lives to look like. We are seeking a better way, a healthier way, and a more holistic way to live and work together. Better Boxes are for that journey too. So you can come home to yourself and who you are, wherever you are, with Better Boxes.

To learn more about the mission of Better Boxes and the opportunity to invest, please visit www.betterboxes.com